PORTLAND, Ore. — Election night brought many results but the race for Washington’s 3rd District House of Representatives member was not called Tuesday.
On Wednesday evening, Jaime Herrera Beutler, the Republican incumbent who has held the seat for a decade, was in the lead by 10 points over Democrat Carolyn Long. Long conceded in the race.
"I’m proud we ran a campaign based on facts, policy, and truth," Long said in a Facebook post. "I am someone who believes in running on the issues and leading a campaign based on integrity and trust. At the end of each day, I reminded myself that how one runs a campaign is a reflection of who they are as a person. Thank you, again, to everyone who has supported us and been a part of this effort. I am proud of everything we have accomplished."
For the 2020 election, the two women only debated one time. But both separately appeared on KGW’s Straight Talk, speaking on a range of issues.
Long and Beutler differed on issues from pandemic recovery to healthcare.
Rep. Beutler voted against the Democrats’ latest coronavirus relief plan because she said it removed funding for hiring police officers and personal protective equipment for law enforcement.
But she said on Straight Talk that she’s worked since the beginning of the pandemic to bring people and businesses in Southwest Washington the assistance they need to survive. She highlighted her support for the Paycheck Protection Program that she said helped save 95,000 jobs in her district.
“I’ve already started to extend that effort to make sure it goes through the end of this pandemic, this disaster,” Beutler said.
She touted herself as a conservative but independent-minded politician who is a good fit for the district, whereas Long, a political science professor, promoted herself as the community-connected liberal alternative, who would better serve working families. Long supported a public option to supplement the Affordable Care Act.
Long said she was one of the first candidates to release her own pandemic relief plan. It focuses, in part, on lowering the barriers to get Americans back into the workforce through expanding access to child care, paid family sick leave and supporting small businesses.
“The third part is investing in infrastructure and creates good family-wage jobs and returns money to our economy,” Long said. “I’m hoping to pursue them at the same time. It will get our economy back on track.”
Rep. Beutler wanted to overturn the Affordable Care Act. However, she told Straight Talk’s Laural Porter that she is passionate about protecting coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. She has a daughter who had a kidney transplant. “I am no stranger to pre-existing conditions or the need for quality, affordable health care. It is a passion of mine. I’ve sponsored legislation to make sure those folks who get their care through the ACA, those with pre-existing conditions, will continue to have their coverage irrespective of what happens in the courts.”
Long has supported the Affordable Care Act with a public option.
“I’ve been very consistent about that. It’s shoring up the ACA with a public option. I think that’s the best, most pragmatic approach to health care policy which continues giving people an element of choice. If they want to keep their private insurer, they can keep it,” Long said.